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Tuesday, October 15, 2013

WCM777 went for a long swim back to Asia, abandoned US operations, who is Phil Ming Xu?

REVISED 21-OCT-2013

After paying for some PR with a local town call Walnut to and got a "Certificate of Appreciation" only months ago, WCM777, a suspect ponzi scheme, has apparently closed shop in the US and decided to operate away from American jurisdiction and operate out of Hong Kong instead. This followed a trend of various suspect Ponzi schemes leaving the US or shutting down since the fiery end of Zeek Rewards Ponzi back in August 2012 (including GoFunRewards, FunkyShark, and others).

However, even before WCM777 left for transpacific swim, its US headquarters is quite lame: (Thanks to M. Bareng, a commenter on BehindMLM for this photo) 1218 John Reed Court, City of Industry, CA 91745

That's right, a flat sign and two 8.5x11 paper signs scotch (tm) taped to a side door.

What's even more interesting is the alleged leader, Dr. Xu (full name: Ming Xu) claims to be a devout Christian and keeps talking about "7 mountains" and spread love and socialism... but also wants your money.

Dr. Xu claimed to have graduated from courses via Harvard.

However, Harvard Business School refused to verify this claim, citing "privacy" concerns. This is the official reply from HBS:

Thank you for contacting Harvard Business School Executive Education. In order to verify a participant’s attendance at one of our Executive Education programs, we require a signed letter of consent from the participant. If you have a release signed by this individual stating that we are allowed to provide information about his or her educational background, we will be happy to complete your request. This document can be either scanned and emailed to me at <censored>@hbs.edu or faxed to +1 617-CEN-SORED to my attention.

For your reference, Private Equity and Venture Capital is a program in our Executive Education program portfolio. Our programs are non-degree bearing and a certificate upon completion is earned.

So Ming Xu did not "graduate" from HBS. There is such a program, but they will NOT verify attendance.

What's really interesting is "Dr. Xu" also turned up on a fake Harvard... "Harvard Global Institute"

This school is a fake school (.org domain, not .edu) aimed at Chinese market (why else is it available in Chinese?), and clearly unfinished, as most of the placeholder text were never replaced. There is no contact information. Domain is hiding under private registration.

What's even more interesting is the logo of that fake Harvard is identical to a "Joseph Global Institute"

Please note though there is also a Delaware Corporation called "World Capital Market. Inc". However, Delaware charges $20 just to look at the records, so I can't verify if this is indeed related to Ming Xu.

What's even more interesting is this apparently also belongs to "Oxbridge" EDU, same phone number and address. The name Oxbridge is from concatenation of Oxford and Cambridge, two famous universities. They claim to be some sort of consultancy that gets Chinese students enroll in foreign schools, and allow foreign schools to recruit students from China. THAT is actually quite legitimate, but when you take into account the fake schools like the two "institutes" above, one wonders what's real and what's fake?

What's REALLY disturbing is there is a message on WorldCapitalMarket itself... That advertised... Give them 530000 USD (500000 to invest in WCM headed venture, 30000 for attorney), and you can emigrate your entire family from China to the US as an investor. This message is in Chinese, and Google Translator massacred it, but I assure you that is the proper translation. Posted in 2012, they claim to be pre-IPO, offer stocks in 2014, and people can get in early. If even referred to another Ming Xu venture: 1and300 as the selling point. Screenshot of that WCM webpage: (WARNING: large picture). Yes, it's in Chinese. Go find someone who can read it for you. Google Translate doesn't work on this page that well. Here's my own translation:

1. Investment amount: $530000 USDIn which, 500000 USD is from the immigration applicant for investment in KaiTai Group's global affiliate chain WangTong new world market. The other 30000 is for attorney fee. Any other expenses are not included.

2. Investment timeframe: 5 yearsUS KaiTai Group is a US WanTong Investment Bank Holding Group invested pre-IPO company, will offer in 2014. Investors put in 500000, and money will be used to build global affiliate chain WantTong new world Market, each side has share split of 50/50. Investors will participate in company management and monitor how capital is used. WanTong Group will provide software and management experience.

US KaiTai Group is 2nd generation internet O2O (online to offline) ecommerce company. Company in 2011 purchased PhiMart software for 1 million and merged it to build 1and300.com netcommerce, similar to TaoBao (NOTE: Chinese eBay) with over 5 million dollars in transactions. Also build US Centurion Commerce 1and300.org to build offline community affiliate system to build cost effective online and offline commerce market.

eCommerce platform 1and300.com is a combination of Alibaba, eBay, Groupon, and other social networks.

In a different listing on Gideon Business Society / 1and300, which are also by Ming Xu, this was repeated in a slightly different format, and basically promised you an EB-5 US Investor Residency Visa for your entire family if you hand over $530000 and give them 9 to 12 months for the paperwork.

Note that they used various names: US KaiTai Group, US WanTong Group, and sometimes, both together as US KaiTai WangTong Investment Group. What you don't know is both are sound-alikes to real organizations.

KaiTai Group, or 开泰集团, is a real group out of ShangDong and their website is at http://www.kai-tai.com.cn/ Is this US KaiTai Group related to *that* KaiTai?

As for US WanTong Investment Bank, or 美国万通投资银行, there is no such organization. However, 美国万通 is the tradename of MassMutual Asia, whose real website is at http://corp.massmutualasia.com/tc/default.aspx Is this WCM related to Mass Mutual Asia? Or just trading on its name?

Here's the 1and300 reference, where they specifically mentioned EB-5 visa, and even references Ming XU's ToPacific company. (see URL)http://www.1and300.org/index.php/immigration/eb5/189-topacific-im.htmlWhile the names are in Chinese, there's no doubt that US KaiTai Group or US KaiTai WanTong Group is clearly related to WCM, and all are related to Ming Xu. EB-5 investments are often fraudulent. So much so that the US Security Exchange Commission (the agency that killed the Zeek Rewards Ponzi), along with the US Department of Homeland Security, US Citizen and Immigration Service USCIS (formerly known as INS), has issued a joint warning to people who are desperate to get a US Residency Status NOT to entrust their money to scammers by investing in fake businesses. You won't get a visa (it'll be revoked) and you'll lose your money.
Let us continue though.

This is a private home, not a business or school building at all. (Go ahead, Google it) Phone number goes to a cell phone out of Anaheim, not a landline.

eChipMinistry address gmail address belongs to eChipMinistry.org, which is registered to an address in Anaheim, California.

Going to that URL resulted in the following links:

So there's no doubt eChipMinistry is linked to JosephGlobalInstitute, but also to Manna TV, Manna Network, and Manna Church International, all of whom are linked to Ming Xu. If you explore the links, you'll also find reference to 7 mountains.

And in the Media section, you'll find the head of eCHIP with Phillip "Phil" Ming Xu in a badly green-screened video.

But what is Ming Xu's link with Joseph Global Institute? He apparently got a PhD from it:

However, his own LinkedIn Profile says he FOUNDED Joseph Global Institute.

Darn, that's like giving himself a PhD, isn't it?

And there's no proof that the Harvard class attended by Ming Xu is real. That is UNKNOWN. And he's unlikely to give permission for others to verify his attendance, not that it means anything. Furthermore, there's evidence that the "Harvard" thing is the fake clone "Harvard Global Institute", not the real Harvard Business School.

There's also suspicion of immigration fraud by investing in a venture that does NOT exist, esp. now that WCM777 has pulled up stakes in the US, so that "pre-IPO" is done for.

The names are apparently borrowed from legitimate organizations for their sound-alike quality.

Now you're wondering... What sort of "investments" is this China-USExpo selling? And WCM claims to be funding? Apparently it's golf courses, as I found mention of two golf courses purchased by WCM even though the website clearly stated that money invested through WCM is going to 1and300.

Links at Summerly (at Lake Elsnore)
Ivy Glen Gold Club (at Ivy Glen)

The California Assembly Rep Ed Chau was apparently so impressed by the Ivy Glen purchase he handed out a "certificate of appreciation" as a PR stunt. Picture was found on Facebook as "Appreciation of assisting in development of California".

Everything just goes around in a circle, doesn't it?

Clearly, this WCM thing is NOT what it appears to be, and the hints suggest it's probably much WORSE than it appears to be.

But all that hints had been there all along. People just aren't looking.

The fact that your blog is called " 'A' MLM skepic" and not "AN MLM skeptic" and that your first sentence in this article is "After paying for some PR with a local town call Walnut" (called).... all of your research and criticism is disproved. Didn't care to read anything else you had to say after that. Learn to write before you make a blog designed to criticize others.

Are you sure you understand English grammar? You only use "an" if the next word starts with a vowel sound. Neither "MLM" nor "skeptic" starts with a vowel sound. Thanks for proving your lack of intelligence! Do come back some time! http://www.grammar-monster.com/lessons/an_or_a.htm

Hmmmm... This issue is a real PITA. Checking Purdue's grammar owl revealed that if the acronym (like MLM) has consonants, but vowel sounds (okay, "em" is a vowel sound) it may be "an". This is one of those DEEP grammar issues they don't really explain in grammar guides unless you go really deep. :)

Ponzi schemes are everywhere, and they have followers everywhere as well. WCM777 has followers in Colombia and Brazil and many other countries. And let's not forget TelexFree and BBOM in Brazil / Peru, the 34 other pyramid schemes under investigation in Colombia, plus many many more in China, Hong Kong, and elsewhere. Internet is both a blessing, and a curse.

I wish all the moms (more than 20 of them and most of them live in social housing and stay at home moms) I met in a community here whom have invested a lot of their savings in wcm777 in the pass few months can read your article so they know this is a scam; However, none of them can read English and when I told them "it sounds too good to be true and it could be a scam", some of them stop talking to me. A few of them really regret investing $2,000 into this company but they can't get their money out and they won't get pay $32 per day any more if they don't put in another $2,000 after 100 days! And even if they put another $2,000 in, then the payment will stop unless they put in another $2,000 after 200 days!! Investing $2,000 and theN getting paid $32 per day everyday except the weekends and holidays plus the $300 initial return once you give them your first $2,000 sounds so good, and you will get paid more the more you bring in, so that was why they all invested into this company. Some said they are just waiting for the ipo which they said will happy next year so they will lots of money... By the way, they are all Chinese and I am Chinese too and I am the only one in that Moms Group who knows how to use a computer and google search about WCM777; however, they all have invested their money into this company before one of them told me so the only thing I can do was tried to find out more about this company and where they are located and how the payment or reward system work etc. Unfortunately, the more I find the more I believe this is a scam yet I can doing anything to help these poor moms their money back, and they said they were told they can not get the government know as what's being paid to them is not being taxed! And I am afraid if I report this to some fraud investigation organizations then all their moms will know it's me and would blame me if they can't make big money from this company's IPO in the future! I don't want to loose them as my "friends" as I moved here two years ago and they are the ones I see almost everyday; however, I really wish this scam can stop as most of these moms are not rich and have smalls kids and old parents to look after. It's just so sad this kind of scam can ruin some poor and uneducated people's life (most of these families go to the food bank for food every week and they live in the government housing apartments so the $2,000 investment is their hard earn savings and most of them just won't have more money to put into after 100 days so they won't get paid any more after 100 days and they can get their money out. By the way, I live in Vancouver, Canada and sounds like this scam just started here not long ago so it's still less than 100 days, and I guess that's why some of the moms still trying to sell this "investment" product to more people so they can make more commission as was approach by another mom who were trying to sell it to me last week and today another wanted to sell hers to me! Can anyone tell me what should I do? Ps: if anyone planning to do business with some Chinese company or people, be it in China or oversea, please be extra careful as my brother got scammed a lot of money even though he's a Chinese! There are a lot of nice and honest Chinese people, I just hate the ones who lied and scammed other people's money.

I really admire and appreciate the considerable time and effort you invested in this meticulous effort at pulling aside the multitude of thin veils that these con artists threw together to try and assign themselves an air of legitimacy. Well done! SD.

Thank you very much for the Chinese article regarding the WCM777 you translated. I really appreciated your effort and time! I also have concerns about these two companies and wonder if you know if they are scanners too? The first one is Lyones and the second is Manatech. Two of the moms I met at the same community also are promoting/selling cards/products from these two companies and they have been asking me many times in the past few months to sign up as their sales rep too because they said you can make pretty good income while the working hours are very flexible which is great for a busy mom like me, plus I can speak fluent English, Cantonese and Mandarin so I can reach out to a greater market! However, after I did some research about Manatech, I am skeptical about it but then I also see this company is listed at one of the US Stock Exchange so I wonder how could that be if the company just want to scam other people's money?? I have read some arcticles saying Manatech's products are not as good as they claimed to be (I was told that their products are amazing, it can improve people's health, eye problems, body pains, skin problems, even certain cancers!). I think their products sounds too good to be true so I told the mom I don't want to promot/sell a product which I think it's not as goog as it claimed to be. But I still wonder why this company's stock being allowed to be traded in the stock market? As Lyones, I think it's ok for people to get their cards but not spending $3,000 to buy their units, though I still don't want to buy their cards or be sales rep either. Anyways, just wonder what your opinions on these two companies as almost every moms I know here in the community have signed up for the Lyones cards and a few also spent thousands of dollars bought the Lyones units and Manatech's products. Thanks for your time and effort, and please keep up the great work!

Well my friend, it sounds like you have not got all the right information. If you want to contact me I will be happy to help them get out if they so want to, and help you answer any questions you may have as it sounds you don't know how it works... bianey_02@yahoo.com

This might sound terrible and corrupt, but as long as you're cashing out at some point, who cares? Make your 100k or 500k and get out. Simple. Greed is what kills everyone, not knowing when to stop gambling ruins everyone. Simple as that.

At least in casino you know the exact odds. You don't in a scam. The "deck" is stacked against you, so to speak, and you don't know how bad it is. If you still want to play, well, perhaps the Wargames adage applies: The only way to win is not to play.

you do not know the "exact odds" in a casino. in a casino the "deck is stacked against you". and in the casino "you never know if you'll ever get your money back". you only hope you do so you keep playing and losing and playing and losing and your wife leaves you and you fall off a mountain top for ever more. lol

Yes you do know the odds. The chance of you getting a winning hand had been calculated ad infinitum. The house advantage is well known and rules are published and easily checked via public websites and whatnot.

But the point about the odds are against you is taken.

The point is at least you *know* in a casino the odds are against you... albeit by a slight percentage.

my dad almost invested in this before I searched the company. the first search return for ming xu is a wikipedia article talking about his involvement in political scandal. Then I read your article and it further convinced me this is scam. Great job and thanks!

The guy you see in Wikipedia is a former industrialist that apparently was jailed and brought out as witness in the Bo Xilai trial. This Ming Xu just happen to have the same name, but is NOT the same person.

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